


Tarot Woman

by KeldvokWrites



Category: Shoujo Kakumei Utena | Revolutionary Girl Utena
Genre: AU, Drabble
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-26
Updated: 2021-01-26
Packaged: 2021-03-18 11:00:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28991085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KeldvokWrites/pseuds/KeldvokWrites
Summary: Utena and Wakaba visit the Rose Parlor, where a strange woman offers to tell Utena's future.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8





	Tarot Woman

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the music of Ronnie James Dio.

“Oh, Wakaba, let’s go in here! I’ve always wanted to go to one of these.”

Wakaba smiled back at Utena, but felt her stomach begin to churn, confectionary sugar from carnival funnel cakes beginning to feel like cement in her center.

Her grandmother had given her some “words of wisdom” before she passed- She had already ignored the first- “Don’t Talk To Strangers”, the first time she laid eyes on Utena, and as she made her way inside the tent emblazoned with a rose and a deck of cards on the flap, she felt a chill in the air as she remembered another.

“Hello Miss Utena,” the girl seated at the makeshift divination table said as they entered the tent. “Welcome to the Rose Parlor.”

“How did you- “

“It’s on your name tag.”

“-Oh. Yeah, I guess it is,” Utena said, some embarrassment in her voice.

_But we aren’t wearing name tags_... Wakaba thought, carefully studying the cloaked woman in red, golden crown on her head. _She must have heard us talking, the conwoman._

Utena sat down at the table, and the woman - now introducing herself as Anthy - began to shuffle the cards in a dazzling display of skill.

Wakaba watched closely.

Hand over hand, hand in hand, the cards were quickly and carefully smashed against each other. But as Anthy began to deal the cards, Wakaba thought she saw a card being sent to the bottom of the deck rather than being dealt to the table proper.

“Oh, Miss Utena, how fortunate! Strength is the card symbolizing maturity and power,” Anthy said as she flipped over the the first card that had been laid out on the table.

“How have you been recently? Any victories to speak of?”

“Well, I have been doing really well in Basketball lately…”

“…That must be it! You are very fortunate.”

“But why is the card upside down?” Utena asked.

Anthy bit her lip, and Wakaba swore she saw blood.

“It…happens sometimes, Miss Utena. Cards can be fickle that way. Nothing to worry about.”

They smiled warmly at each other, and Wakaba felt nauseous.

Suddenly, Anthy caught Wakaba’s eyes with a freezing glance.

“Would you like me to read for you too, Miss-“  
“-Wakaba. And no, thank you.”

“Wakaba!” Utena said indignantly. “Don’t be rude! Anthy was only wanting to help you too.”

The tension in the air was suffocating, and it took all of Wakaba’s strength not to get up and run screaming into the night.

But she stayed for Utena.

“Well, I have to go, Anthy,” Utena said, still pouting. “Wakaba looks like she’s ready to go home. But I’ll see you some other time, okay? Maybe you can show me the other cards then?”

“Certainly, Miss Utena. Have a good rest of your day.”

* * *

Wakaba walked home with Utena in silence.

_Beware of a place, A smile of a bright shining face_ , Wakaba’s grandmother told her.

She buried her suspicions deep- and prayed she would never live to regret it.

**Author's Note:**

> Come chat with me on Tumblr! [@KeldvokWrites](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/keldvok)


End file.
